


New and Old

by SecretTimeIsHere



Series: The King and his Aid [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (Except for Red. Sorry Red), (For classic. the cat in chapter two.), (I basically took the idea of Fluffytale and made classic a cat.), (Since he was the only sans I didn't really have in this yet.), F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22875265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretTimeIsHere/pseuds/SecretTimeIsHere
Summary: They've escaped, they're living their life, but they want to start over. Completely. What better way to do that than move to America? However, when new characters come into play and old stories retold, how will it affect Edwin and Neil?Of all the Courts' Horses and all the Courts' men, no one would find them, never again.
Relationships: Ccino / Dream, Cecil / Dean, Dean / Cecil, Dream / Ccino, Edwin / Neil, Error / Nightmare, Neil / Edwin, Nightmare / Error
Series: The King and his Aid [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1514111
Comments: 14
Kudos: 36





	1. Goodbye and hello

The pair walked together in the early morning, wheelbarrows of produce in front of them, full of plants and fresh greens. The dirt roads long and winding, but safe, their destination rewarding and their starting point secret. They shared banter as they walked, playfully flirting with each other until they grew closer to town, where their banter turned to talk. Afraid to show their real relationship.

Once they reached the market, they were quick to join the other farmers in setting up their booths, one for all the extra food they have grown, and another for the starter plants that were ready to sell.

“Alright, Ru,” The elder spoke after preparing the booth, looking around at all the vendors already selling and early customers wandering, “I’m going to go get our groceries, I’ll be back before the rush.” He promised, smiling when the other skeleton nodded, discreetly grabbing his hand and caressing it. A silent gesture of their love.

“Could you get some more purple yarn? And black thread too?” Ru spoke, voice quiet and whispering, barely heard through his scarf. Pulled up high to cover the abnormal tear tracks down his face, his hood pulled over his skull, only allowing people to see his eyes. The less to see, the less to recognize, the lower the chance they’ll be found.

“Of course,” He smiled further, “Anything else?”

“Only for you to get back quickly.” His soulmate joked, playfully punching his shoulder, tone flirtatious. “Go on, I’ll be waiting, Night.”

Neil walked off, checking over his shoulder often, more so than he probably should but just wanting to check on his glitchy. Quickly he went from vender to vender, buying the things they needed with the money they earned from their booths. Each item checked off the list, and the materials for his lover, he rushed back over to Edwin’s side.

“I didn’t mean for you to run around faster than any animal when I said get back quickly.” His love rushedly whispered to him as he grabbed some extra vegetables for a customer from their wheelbarrows, going back over to the customers before the ex-Royal had a chance to rebut.

The customer walked away and Neil walked forward, interlocking his hand with his partners under the table, gripping the rough scared hands gently. Even daring enough to slightly lean on the other.

“Just proves how much I wanted to get back to you.” He whispered back, smiling widely.

“Mhm.” Edwin hummed, used to how cheesy and romantic his boyfriend could get. “How much did it all cost?” He asked, pulling out a notebook and flipping to a half-used page.

“Thirteen twenty-five.” The elder answered simply, “How much did it set us back?”

“Well, I’ve already made twenty today, so not at all.”

“How much more until we’re able to buy those tickets? With enough money leftover.” Neil asked, resting his head on his ex-Aid’s.

“I think by the end of the day,” Edwin started, a smile in his voice, “We’ll have more than enough for those boat tickets.”

The ex-King smiled more, finally, out to a new place. Somewhere with less chance of being found! America was far from their little England town, but it was worth it. It was going to be even farther away from their family, but it could them a chance to start their own. Grow their relationship, blossom a family, die with a happy end.

It would take some packing, considering all the plants they have and what they would need to leave behind or sell, and the seeds they would have to bring with them. Even more so all the belongings they have gained over the years they’ve lived full time in their cabin. Clothes that Edwin had made, the furniture he had crafted, the books hey had bought along with the precious possessions they owned from when they were in the castle-their necklaces stashed away and safe.

“Write a letter to the family to prepare a meeting?” Error asked quietly, looking up at his best friend who nodded in agreement.

  
  


\-----

  
  


It was late when they ventured out under the cover of night, prepared with all their belongings. Hand in hand, they teleported away, not to a dock, ready to depart for a ship, but to a house of memories.

The beach house was awake and lights on, the front windows holding shadows of people, one running out of view.

The door burst open and the next Neil knew he was on the grass with his younger brother hugging him tightly, his inlaw coming out of the house as well, a young tired boy in his arms.

“There you two are, we were starting to worry,” Cecil spoke, happiness in his voice, “But, now you’re here!” They smiled as the child in his arms started to wake.

“Ma? What’s… going on?” Little Martin asked, not so little anymore, grown bigger since the last time the ex-King had seen him. Scary to believe it’s been over half a decade. Slowly, the child starting to realize what was going on. “Uncle?” The prince asked, looking at Neil, then proceeded to look over to Edwin, “Uncles?”

Edwin sputtered in embarrassment, not expecting to be called that, much less be recognized as it. Did the bonds of their souls go that far? The ex-servant and Neil were Soulmates and had been for years, even to the point that it connected them farther than anyone would ever think, but for that connection to be recognized by other family… it was new.

For as long as the glitch could remember, he didn’t have any family, and if he did, he had no clue where. Whatever connection he had to them was severed when he was washed up onto the private shores of the Joku castle. To be called Uncle, it filled him with a sense of pride.

“You okay, Eddie?” Neil asked, chuckling softly as he stood up, going over to his lover. The darker boned gave a slow nod, a wide smile tugging at his skull.

“How have you two been brother?” Dean questioned as he lead everyone inside, escorting them all to the living room and in front of the roaring fire, warming them up from the cold summer night air.

The couches were plush and comfortable, the wood floor creaking with familiarity. Nothing was changed from the last time they were all here, and surely, it was as nostalgic for Dean and Cecil as it was for Neil and Edwin.

“We’ve been great, how about you guys?” The elder brother bantered, “This place bring back certain memories yet?” Neil directed his gaze to Martin, who looked at his uncle confused.

There was no being positive, since, after the beach house, Cecil snuck over to Dean’s room often and even more so during his pregnancy- but all four of them were near one hundred percent certain that the beach house was where Martin was conceived.

Cecil blushed brightly, and Dean gave a smirk.

“ _ Great _ memories,” his brother laughed, “But, we’ve been good too! Still sad you weren’t able to make it to our wedding.”

Through letters, after Neil and Edwin had escaped, they stayed connected, and that included being told the happy news of Dean and Cecil getting married just a few years ago. The Kingdom jumping to forget about their disgrace of a King and quickly putting Dean in his role, rejoicing years later when they came to find that Martin wasn’t even Neil’s.

Sure, Cecil had cheated from their perspective, but so had Neil. At the least, they got a respectable heir, and with the help of Ian who had become head of the court as well, the whole kingdom quickly moved on from their old King. Calling off all searches and most not even remembering his name anymore.

“Yeah, but, at least we’re able to see little Martin one last time?” Edwin spoke, his glitching voice better than it used to be, Dean nodding.

“One last time?” Martin asked, “But I’ve just met you! Why do you have to leave?” The child asked, not knowing why his uncles had to leave so soon.

“They’re not leaving yet, Marty. They’re staying here with us for a week then going to  _ America _ .” The child smiled brightly at being told that, his little grey eyes turning into stars, letting out a tired “Yay!” before his eyes started to close, drifting off to sleep.

  
  


\----- 

  
  


Sadly, their week went by all too fast, even as they spent all their time together. Neil and Edwin happily called Uncle Night and Uncle Ed throughout the whole of it, the couple spending all the time they could with the young one.

But the day to leave came quicker than they thought, and soon, they were on a boat to America, spending all the time in their small cabin until they made it to shore. And when they made it to shore, their new life began.


	2. New home Sweet home

With each echoing step, they walked onto the dock, baggage safe in their hands and each other safe next to one and another. Close side by side, they navigated through the bustling town. Struggling to find a road that led out into the country, they needed to find a place to stay. A house. Or they’d have to build their own. Maybe another log cabin out in the woods?

_ What should we do? _ His soulmate traced into his hand, drawing each letter into his hand and pausing for each space. The Ex-King flicked his eyes over to Edwin for a moment, enough to get eye contact, then flicked them back.

_ Find somewhere to stay. Cabin? Hotel? I don’t know. _ He carefully traced back, eyes darting around, forever checking his surroundings until he could be sure he and his could be safe. Vendor’s jumping out and screaming about some new sale or another. All of which clear scams. Ways to get customers to buy useless things.

_ Will we even be able to set up a shop? Of any sort? _ His ex-Aid’s aura grew worried, but expression still emotionless.

_ If we find a smaller town, maybe. Until we find a place like that? I doubt it. _ Neil’s jittery hands traced, growing tired from carrying their bags.  _ Can’t wait until we find someplace private, this form is killing me, I swear. _

_ That’s because you haven’t used it in a while. Give it time, Nighty. _

Ever since they escaped, and Neil let himself go “Corrupted” as they had dubbed it, and he’s had to learn to control his more demonic form. Not many, if any at all, knew he could change his physical appearance to something akin of a skeleton dipped in tar, so they used it to their advantage. The “Corrupted” form changing his eyelight color and masking his pearly clean and royal appearance perfectly. 

However, they quickly learned it was difficult to change back and forth, and with long absences, even difficult to change into. Sadly, another side effect left his permanently blind in his right eye. The liquified negativity that came with his corrupt form overtaking that eye and often gushing out of it to envelop his body.

_ And please, don’t joke about dying. You’ve already come too close to it. _

_ You know what I mean. _ The older rolled his eyes, flashing a playfully smile, gaining only a glare from his lover. He sighed.  _ I promise. _

_ You better. _ Edwin playfully smirked, before pausing, and his expression dropping.  _ Neil. _ Another long pause.  _ I… I don’t want to live my life without you. It was hard as it was when you were sick those years back. Even when I knew you were still alive and as safe as you could be… it was torture. I don’t think I could ever continue on without you. _

Neil teleported them away and out of the crowd. Off deep in a clearing of trees in the woods.

“Sorry,” The older softly spoke, seeing his boyfriend’s dazed state, “I should’ve warned you… but,” The taller leaned down, pulling Edwin’s arms around his waist and wrapping his own around his lover’s neck. Pushing his skull into the curve of the ex-servant’s neck until he felt where he fit in like a puzzle piece. “I wanted to say this aloud.”

His best friend pulled his arms tight around Neil’s waist, and the darker boned hooked his chin over his soulmates’ shoulder.

“I don’t think I could live my life without you either.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


Working with the clearing they had teleported into, a high-up hill the overlooked a valley, a roadway situated on the rocky side of it, they began to build a house. Nothing grand, but nothing too small either. A simple cabin style house, three bedrooms, and hopefully some bathrooms if they figured out how to do some plumbing and get hot water. Sadly, not many houses had any hot water, and if you did, you were rich or knew how to do your own plumbing, and while they weren’t rich by any means anymore, they had enough money to do some plumbing. Not enough for the two bathrooms that had planned out, but just enough to get one done.

As they built, Edwin prepared a new garden for them, one slightly bigger than the last, and another surprise came to them. For the first few days-they had bought a tent while they built their home-they felt as if they were being watched. It wasn’t threatening, but it felt attentive. Carefully eyeing them. Against their better judgment, on the fourth day of being watched, they left out some food. No trap. Simply a piece of meat put on a napkin just inside their tent. Sure the night was cold, but what they saw shocked them.

A fluffy big looking cat walked in and ate the meat, and as the couple sat, paralyzed and afraid to move just in case they scared it, it explored the tent. Their coat was a brownish white, undoubtedly a stray that had been on the streets for ages. It may even have a brilliant white coat under all that dirt. Blue stripes ran down its body, never fully circling. Only dragged across it’s back for a few inches before fading swiftly changing back to its white fur. Not fading. Eventually, the cat made its way over to them and sniffed the sleeping bag they were curled up in.

Bravely, the cat walked up to them and sniffed the two of them, before rubbing up against them and curling up above their heads. Exited, they both looked towards each other and rolled onto their stomachs, raising their hands before the cat, letting it sniff them, and then proceeding to pet its dirt-filled, but smooth fur.

Neither ever owned a pet, not allowed to within castle walls, and didn’t even think about it in their old cabin. Understandably, finding a stray that trusted them and wanted to stay with them made them ecstatic. Forgetting their maturity for a long few moments, they childishly played with and pet the cat. Trying to come up with a name.

“Fluffy?” Edwin spitballed, raising a skele-brow as the cat gave him a weird look.

“Sounds kind of cliche.” Neil commented, struggling to come up with something, “Blue? Cause of the stripes?” The cat carefully bat at his face. Claws not pulled out, simply toe beans smacking bone. Thankfully touching his closed blind eye and not his working one.

“Don’t think they… She?” The cat gave them a pout, “ _ He _ likes that name.” The darker boned amended, giving a smile. Happy the cat was being so communicative with them. “What about a more Classic name?” The cat rubbed itself against Edwin.

“Be simple and call him Classic?” The ex-King chuckled. The cat gave an agreeing meow, rubbing itself against both of them before curling up between them. “Guess he likes it.”

Classic gave them both a tired and goofy grin, giving a sleepy meow before laying down and starting to softly snore. Smiling further when his new owners gave each other a good night kiss before curling up around him. Warming all their cold bodies.

  
  


\-----

  
  


The months went by quickly as they built their house, Classic keeping them plenty of company and filling their lives with a little more joy. Soon, the three of them happily shared their large cabin. The extra two rooms they had serving as a study and a hobby room for the two of them. Neil practicing his carpentry and accidentally learning blacksmithing from a few too many broken tools and Edwin continuing with his knitting and picking up sewing. Classic enjoying all the gifts they made for him, loving being a spoiled furbaby. Soon, they made a little corner for him. An adorable cat bed and many cat toys made for him.

Winter came and went, and spring appeared before their eyes. Going to the small town they lived by, they set up a small shop, selling to customers just as they had back in England. Their extra produce and starter hats going quickly. Neil and Edwin coming up with the idea to start taking repair orders as well. Weapons or clothing. Classic happy to be someplace new and perched on Ed’s shoulders most of the time. His dirty coat clean and handsome pearly white, not too happy after finding out that Neil’s Corrupt form stuck to his fur.

At least Classic wasn’t scared of his corrupt form.

Customers flew by, and the end of the day soon came. The last customers they were going to serve for the day walked up, and Edwin’s soul felt a connection. His glitched soul near leaping out of his chest.

“Gene?” A short skeleton asked, draped in a black cloak. Eyes an empty void.

“...Son?” The tall figure next to the first asked, tears welling in their single working eye.


	3. Found and lost

“Gene?” A short skeleton asked, draped in a black cloak. Eyes an empty void.

“...Son?” The tall figure next to the first asked, tears welling in their single working eye.

His soul was jumping out of his chest at this point, leaping and materializing itself before them. A thin string connecting him to these two strangers that deep in his soul he knew, a thick string also connecting him Neil, and three other smaller ones, disappearing into the air. The physical showing of the family that adopted and welcomed him.

The threads that connected him to the strangers were glitched, and dissipating at random. Barely there. The memories that may have once made the connection stronger locked away somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind- but somehow, he was still sure. He could feel that he was right.

“Dad?” Edwin asked, pulling away the accessories of his disguise, Neil and him still very wary. Not daring to do anything that could show their real identities, taking every caution. No one would pull them away from each other ever again.

The tall skeleton rushed toward the dark boned, enveloping him in a hug, nearly sending the ex-servant into a reboot and causing Classic to jump off Edwin’s shoulder. The glitched skeleton’s body quickly covering with glitches after.

Neil, seeing that the unexpected touch was triggering his lover’s haphephobia, stepped in, gently pushing away the new skeletons.

“Sorry, I can tell that you have a connection with him, but, Edwin- uh, Gene, has likely changed since you knew him. He has haphephobia, it took him years to be comfortable with just me.” Neil explained, voice gurgling with the corruption currently overtaking his body. His boyfriend’s glitches quickly disappearing when the contact stopped.

“Edwin?” The shorter of the two asked confusingly, “What’s happened all these years? We thought he was dead...” Sorrow filling his voice, empty eyes pushing up, showing the closest expression they could to worry without eyelights.

“Yeah, I kinda remember the name Gene, but… when Night found me I was going by Error, based on the words on my body.” The ex-servant explained, coming out of his glitched state quickly, only a few glitching blocks left in his mismatched eyes, “Night helped me make the name a little more normal, and I settled with Edwin.”

Neil was by his side in a flash when he started talking again, quietly fussing over him, helping him to sit down in front of their booth, the glitches still leaving the black boned mostly blind, his glasses askew from the sudden hug. Edwin leaned back against the table, giving a soft thank you to his soulmate, resting a hand in the other’s, forgetting the company they had for a moment.

“You doing okay, Eddie?”

“Night, I’m fine, just need to sit for a minute.” The ex-royal gave a sigh, knowing deep down that yes he would be okay, but the last time he had gotten that close to rebooting was years ago when a few rookie guards were messing with him. Daring to poke him and see what happens. Neil let his corruption and anger do the talking for them that time, they didn’t dare go near the two ever again after.

Rebooting wasn’t a common thing for Error, and his body only did it when it absolutely needed to. To heal from sickness or force the servant to take care of himself and rest. But during those times, he would go comatose, probably labeled as dead if it weren’t for the fact that his soul was still alive and beating.

As the last of the glitches cleared, Edwin looked up to his Dad and the shorter skeleton that called him Gene.

“Guess there’s a lot of stories to tell...”

  
  


\-----

  
  


Deciding the best place to talk was their cabin, they packed up the last of their goods and their booth then headed home. Exchanging a few of the more light-hearted stories, and the two new skeletons or Gary and Roger-Gary being Edwin’s father and Roger being a kid he grew up with, telling their story.

How they had taken a ship over America and had been trying to live ever since. Roger splitting from the rest of his family, a brother and father who he did his best to keep in contact with, in favor of sticking close to Gary. Both of them sharing the burden of losing Edwin, the two of them being the closest to him.

When they tried to share more of the story, and what happened preceding losing Edwin, he started to glitch greatly, once again almost going into a reboot. For the better, the dropped the subject.

However, once they made it to the safety of their cabin, Edwin and Neil started to spill nearly everything, unsure of how they would take them being together. Simply leaving it as them being best friends and close companions, telling of how Neil used to be a King and Edwin his aid and servant. Leaving out the finer details of how deep their soul connection went.

Soon, Gary and Roger were a big part of their lives, a natural everyday thing that was greatly welcomed. The new skeleton’s living in the town that they set up their small shop in, but, the more time they all spent together, the more their new friends grew suspicious of their relationship.

It took Neil and Edwin months before they finally decided to tell them.

It was a calm day, late summer sunlight pouring through the large center window of their cabin, the four of them hanging out talking the day away and playing card games.

“Dad? Rog?” Edwin gently interrupted, anxiety high. Voice almost trembling.

They looked up from their cards and gave him their full attention.

Edwin stood up and extended his hand to Neil, who happily took it. Uncorrupted form rising up with his lover, long since trusting the newcomers just as much as his Eddie.

“I need to tell you... ” He gulped down his nerves, “ _ We _ ” He corrected himself, “Need to tell you something.”

The seconds slowed, as Edwin struggled to get the words out, hand reaching out toward his lover’s squeezing. Asking for help.

“Edwin and I are dating.” Gary and Roger stared, eyes shrinking in an undescribed emotion that was terrifying to the two of them. Shock or anger. They couldn’t tell. “We’ve been together for over a decade. Nearly two, if you start from when we first agreed there was something more between us.

“Everything that happened at the castle was because of our relationship. The wife I left was because I only love Edwin. The sickness I had was from the court tearing us apart. Our soul connection runs deep, to the point it physically hurts us if we’re far away from each other for too long. Edwin was locked up to be kept away from me. We ran away from there so we could be free and together. Live a simple quiet life.”

Edwin looked down at his feet shaking, tearing up, not wanting to look at their new friends any longer. He wasn’t ashamed. Far from even. He just didn’t want to lose his father again. He didn’t want to forget Roger again.

“We trust you.” Error shakily spoke, “I don’t want to hide any part of my life from you… T-that includes my love for Neil.”

Gary and Roger stood up and left without a word, and Edwin’s knees buckled. Falling down as he cried out.


	4. Come back

Waking up to the calming warmth of his lover again, he sighed. The shorter’s cheeks were puffed with magic, the tear tracks that had been turning transparent over the past years were bright and opaque. Almost a single blocky strip of blue running from each eye. He was peacefully sleeping, likely having struggled to stay asleep throughout the night.

Edwin was usually awake by now, the ex-royal was the one that always wanted to sleep in. On any normal day, he’d wake up clinging to his lover’s chest, using it as a pillow as his ex-aid would be sitting up slightly. Book in hand and waiting for him to wake up, ready to give a good morning kiss.

They would get ready for the day, make a delicious homegrown breakfast, maybe make some pastries or bread, and eventually, Gary and Roger would show.

Eventually…

It’d been weeks, and they were still waiting for them to show. Any sign. They hadn’t even gotten a chance of seeing them in the market. Even Classic was starting to get a little depressed, he always enjoyed the attention Roger would give him, and Gary was always more than content to help spoil the fluffy stray. Slipping delicious morsels, offering delicious jam and frosting to help sedate the feline’s sweet tooth.

Slowly leaning up and trying his best not to disturb Edwin, the elder got up and ready for the day. Tiptoeing out of the room to start making some breakfast.

It was only an hour or two later did the ex-servant wake-up, frowning when he saw an empty space next to him. The large bed feeling more empty than full. However, as his mind awoke, so did his senses. The weight of Classic at his feet, the blurry vision he had without his glasses, the clanging on pots and clanks of glass in his ears. The delicious smell of food and baking bread.

Fixing the forever faded star t-shirt he always seemed to wear to bed, he gently pulled his feet away from their spoiled little fur-child and got up. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants, not wanting to stare at the many scars of training he had on them. Keeping his eyes forward and away from the marks on his arms, he walked out and into the main room of the house, turning his head as he approached the corner, smiling when he saw Neil confidently making a breakfast fit for a royal.

“Morning, Moon.” he sleepily called, pulling up a chair and resting his arms on the counter, using them as a pillow for his head. Letting his eyes slid shut, a smile spreading across his skull as he listened to his Lover cooking.

“Good morning, love,” Neil happily sang, “Almost finished cooking, jam or butter?” He calmly asked, knowing that it would take some time for Edwin to fully wake up. Grabbing a coffee pot and pouring some into two cups, adding a little cream and a single sugar cube. Just the way his lover liked it.

“For toast? We still have any strawberry jam?” The younger asked, pulling the cup and its saucer closer to him, taking a sweet energizing sip of the coffee. The other gave a nod, “Then strawberry. Thanks for the coffee.” He smiled warmly, continuing to steadily drink the awakening mixture.

As his plate of food was slid to him, he felt a familiar weight land on his skull, his vision going from blurry to sharp in an instant. “Thanks, again,” Ed lovingly sighed, cuddling into his boyfriend’s side as he sat down next to him.

Neil hummed, nuzzling into the other’s skull, starting to eat and enjoy the morning with his soulmate.

“Are they… will they ever come back?” His tone was sorrowful, heartbreaking. His gaze staring at their front door. Expecting. Wishing for them to come walking in. The emotion pulsing through his soul and across their connection to Neil.

The ex-king wrapped his spare arm around the other, pulling him close into a half hug.

“I don’t know… but it’s their loss, isn’t it?” He spoke softly. Edwin looked up at him, “They’re missing out on spending time with such an amazing skeleton, one that has stolen my soul, and one that I’m oh so lucky to love.” Error chuckled slightly, stopped short of finishing when a loving kiss was pressed to his mouth. One he happily reciprocated.

“Thank you, Neil,” His smile was soft, gentle. A side he hid from everyone else, except his boyfriend. His world. Something that held such contrast to the strong and rough body, both of their seemingly emotionless or dark personalities. “You always know just what to say.”

Edwin hid his skull in the taller’s chest, moving himself up and caressing Neil’s neck with his nasal bridge. Finding the spot where he fit like a puzzle piece. One of the few places he felt safe.

“That’s my job.” Neil chuckled, letting himself enjoy the moment before he would go off on his personal mission.

  
  


\-----

  
  


“Bye, Error, be back soon! Love you,” Neil called, closing the door behind him, “Now, to try and find them.”

It was only a few hours since the day had begun, so he had plenty of time to try and find Gary and Roger. He should’ve done this sooner, but he wanted them to come back on their own, when they left he said to himself “One month. One month, and I’m going to find you.”

While they were friends and not at odds, Gary had explained where they lived. How it wasn’t far from their own house. Just a short walk away if you knew the right trails, and with the help of a map, Neil knew how to get to. 

Through paths, twists, and turns he made it to the small townhome. A dull blue-gray painted across the row, blending the house together.

“The second house from the same side as the path...” He recounted, walking down the sidewalk, “Four dolls in the window...” The pale boned looked at the front windows, finding the family of dolls, one in Gary’s liking, another in Roger’s, and another two that reminded him all too much of Douglass and Philip. Was that what Edwin used to look like? “...It doesn’t matter, what matters is I get them back or fail trying.” He muttered under his breath.

Slow and unsure of himself, he walked up to the door and knocked.

It opened a crack some minutes later. Roger’s blank eye staring at him from the crack, looking surprised before glaring.

“What do you want?” His cold, unfriendly voice answered, not the soft and friendly one he was used to hearing.

“Your help,” He pleaded, “I know right now you don’t like us all too much, but, you’re important to us. To Edwin. I’ve been with him for years, and he couldn’t remember if he even had any family. The closest he got was my own, my brother, in law, and more recently our nephew. When he found out about you guys, I could feel his happiness through our bond. I was hoping you’d give us another chance.”

When Roger didn’t budge, he sighed.

“I know we’re… different. But, you two are so important to him. He doesn’t want to lose you guys again.”

“...alright. We’ll… we can give you two another chance.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


After getting back home, and many thank you’s from Edwin to all of them, they all settled down, and their friends started to explain themselves. How they didn’t think about how it would affect them, more importantly, affect Edwin. They were just focused on the idea of them being a same-sex couple. How wrong they were always told it was.

But, they were willing to be a little more open about it.

“You… were really that worried about losing us again? Do… you don’t remember what happened. Do you?” Gary asked, settling his hand on top of Edwin’s. Edwin shook his head.

“I don’t remember anything before washing up on the royal shores. I made a home out of driftwood and had that for a while...and eventually, Neil found me, and helped me. We befriended each other and grew closer. Even under the former Queen’s blessing.”

“Just like Cecil said,” Neil laughed, “Mothers just know.”

Gary and Roger glanced between themselves.

“You fell off the ship when  _ we _ were traveling to America, decades ago. That’s probably how you washed up on those shores...” Gary started to recount, “A plague had hit our town, DT, melting people and turning their magic red. Your mother, Carolyn, and brother, Paul, died to it. It was just starting to affect you when we departed...”

The glitches started to grow on Edwin’s body, but he held back the reboot, he needed to know what happened. There had to be more. Glitches covered his eyes, blocks of white covering his body, but he could still hear.

“It melted half of your skull, your eye glitched and was half red. There were glitches all over your body...” Roger looked up, “I guess through everything that happened, they stayed… when you fell off, in your condition, and with how far we were out in the ocean, we didn’t think you’d survive.”

The reboot took over. Let the DT continue to flow throw his body, and let him live? Or do what the sickness was meant to and kill his body. Let himself fall to dust, or continue with his second life?


	5. Reliving the good

He lay so peacefully, you’d never know that he was just barely stable. Soul hanging on by the thread that connected him to his soulmate. The one he chose to bond with. It wasn’t fate or destiny, no sign or clue that they were destined to be by a greater force. Simply the chance to love. The opportunity that changed their lives for the better.

Where would they even be if they never met? Where would he be if they never met? Would Edwin have died in the ocean like he was supposed to? Would he himself be as happy as he is now? According to his brother, when they were still in England, each letter Neil sent he sounded happier and happier.

To think, so much would be different in his life without Edwin. They’ve known each other for nearly three decades. They were so young when the two of them met, that the ex-royal really doesn’t remember much else. Life was black and white until then. Then suddenly, there was a grey area. An unknown. Something that Neil wasn’t aware of hiding within himself.

He had always thought it weird that all the strong male soldiers they had looked… rather nice, and didn’t think anything of it when he would watch Edwin train to become his Aid, but without his servant. He would’ve never taken the leap into a relationship. Act on the feelings he didn’t understand. Stop pretending he actually cared all the prissy princess’ he was forced to dance with Ball after Ball.

His whole entire life would be a different story. The whole castle knew that the only shoulder he trusted enough to lean on was Edwin. Time and time again, his Aid was the only one who knew how to calm him. Knew how he was. Knew exactly what to look for and how to help. The smallest fidgetting. The dimming in his once near luminescent purple eyes. The way he would distractedly look around the room when he was uninterested.

And Neil knew just as much about his lover as Edwin did him. At least… that’s what he used to think. Now, his Soulmate had a whole life that neither remembered. One where the older wasn’t even his best friend. One where he had a family, and possibly a romantic interest.

The “What if” ’s where stuck in his head. What if Edwin never fell off the boat? Would he have confessed similar feelings to Roger? Would he have lived happily with his family? Lived a happy life… without Neil?

A sudden rapping on the door startled him out of his thoughts, and Classic out of his sleep. Surprised and afraid, jumping off the bed and hiding underneath the frame.

Sighing, and giving a small chuckle at their cat’s behavior, he looked over at the porch door next to him. Seeing a kindly smiling but worried Gary dressed in simple clothes, shoes dirty from walking along the old unkept path that connected their two houses.

Quietly, he opened the door, and his… inlaw? He wished they could get married. Edwin would have to be awake for that… and they would have  _ so _ much fun finding a priest that would actually wed a gay couple. 

His lover’s Dad sat on the ottoman next to their bed, sadly looking at his son before moving his gaze to Neil.

The ex-royal followed his gaze, the arms that he forgot were hugging himself tightening around him. Constricting any emotions he had. Fighting to not let any tears fall.

He could practically hear Edwin chasting him, fussing over him.

_ “It’s okay,” _ He heard in his head, phantom touches of a hug wrapping around him and pulling him into Edwin’s lap,  _ “Emotions are fine. You’re safe. You don’t have to hide anything with me.”  _ while his arms didn’t move at all, he could feel his Edwin moving them away and wrapping them around his neck. The ex-servant tucking his arms underneath Neil’s own and moving his skull to nuzzle into his neck.

He could almost smell the scent of parchment and flowers that always seemed to waft around his lover. The distinct smell that told him he was safe. That he could let go. Normally, he would.

_ “Come on, it’s alright. This isn’t healthy for you. At least stop holding in the air, constricting your ribcage isn’t going to do you any good.”  _ He started to tremble, more phantom touches, the gentle glide of soothing motions on his back that would help his lull to sleep. Rest his mind and go back to the problem later.  _ “Shhhh, I’m here.” _

But he isn’t.

“...I don’t pretend to know exactly what you’re going through...” Gary tried to start, “I don’t even understand what’s happening to him right now. What ‘Rebooting’ does to him. But, at the least. I can somewhat empathize.”

“...You lost him once too.” Neil chocked out, still holding back tears. Not asking a question. Stating a fact. His arms loosened their hold, if only slightly. His eyes still concentrated on Edwin.

_ “There you go, there’s no rush… take however long you need to relax. I’ll stall for as long as you need.” _

A flash of a memory, way back when they were at the castle. One of the few days he completely broke down. Let himself get beat down by rules and slowly lose hope. True to his word, the younger did stall. Leaving for just a few minutes and coming back to tell him his schedule was cleared for the day. That they were just going to relax together and rest.

The strong arms he loved so damn much doing their best to gently incircle him, treating him like the most fragile and precious thing in Edwin’s life.

“I did, I lost my wife and other son as well...” Gary trailed, “Would… would you like to talk about him? Tell your story, again? If it isn’t too much.”

_ “Shh, if it’s too much, take your mind off it. ...Tell me a story. A memory… Do you remember when we first met? My memory seems to be having some trouble, could you retell me that story?” _

“You two are so alike… It shouldn’t be surprising but I just keep forgetting the fact you’re related.”

“Oh? How so? Did we both suddenly get attacked by a pack of living trees?” Gary tried to joke, bringing up another memory.

_ “Didn’t we get attacked by a gang of bandits on the way back?” _ He could distinctly remember laughing and snorting at the joke, giving a soft punch to Edwin’s arm and him pretending to be gravely wounded after.

“Something like that.” A small smile made it’s way to Neil’s face. “Until now, I thought I knew everything about him, but know it turns out I missed an entire side of him he himself couldn’t even remember.”

A fatherly hand rested on his shoulder. Gary gave a patient smile. A decade ago, he would have said he was lucky to have grown up without parents. Saying that do too much for their kids. Currently, he would say he was unlucky. He had friends that acted like parents, and the retired general George was always willing to help out, but he missed his mother. While he was still a part of her it was harder to see the ghost of her when being so far away from her grave. About his father, he never had one in the first place.

“His favorite sweet is chocolate, a special spicy one we would get imported every now and again, his favorite color is dark purple… he always said he loved it because it reminded him of my trust. He used to be the only person to see my corrupted form. He’s still the only one that can calm me down whenever I go into that form. Everyone else is scared of me when I’m like that… but not him.”

_ “I know you’re in there Moon, we both know you are.” _ He could hear Edwin calling to him, and when he got closer, mumbling to him _ “Let’s calm down, okay, love? I can hold and cradle you for as long as you like.  _ I’ll always- _ ” _

“ ‘-Be your teddy bear.’ No matter who we were with, even when we had to hide our relationship, he always found ways to remind me how much he loved me. At least everyone else in the castle always thought we were telling inside jokes.” Neil let out a small light-hearted laugh.

Seeing it was only Gary, Classic crawled out from underneath the bed, jumping up into Nightmare’s lap, rubbing against him for a moment before curling up and starting to nap once more.

“When I first found him and brought him back to the castle, I gave him my star t-shirt. I didn’t go with anything. Just a gift from the kingdom. Edwin still has it. He’s been wearing it for ages. Every time it rips or gets torn, he carefully sews it together again. He refuses to part with it.”

“...You know, at first. I didn’t know what to think of you.” Gary admitted, “I thought maybe Gene… maybe Edwin got in with the wrong crowd or something...” Neil’s small smile dropped, “Although now, I see that you’re probably the best thing that happened to him.”

Nightmare finally locked eyes with Gary, “I’m not sure about Roger, but… feel free to consider me family, Son.”


	6. Settling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to do some research for this chapter so I’ll explain that at the end.

He found himself dreaming of a better place in his sleep, the few times he had been able to, one where everyone was happy. Where his best friend could live without scars from his forgotten past, where the nightmare turned into the daydream. A world where Edwin made a full recovery. Where they lived happily on a large farm far into the country where no one could see them, a place that showed him all his desires that would likely never happen.

On the farm, his in-laws and he lived happily, his wonder of a partner proposing. They adopted animals. Helped a runaway child and kept them, cared for them. Lived a calm life. Even his brother came to visit from the castle every now and again. The joy of seeing his nephew growing, and the bright smile when they introduced him to their little runaway.

The cousins running in the yard. Growing old, at least he was, the scars of DT still refusing to let Eddie die off or even age much. Meeting Roger’s family, and gradually being accepted by them as well…

The joy when same-sex marriage became legal. The excitement of finding a priest. The ceremony with all their family, the connection with his brother allowing their mother to see the event, the translucent tears running down her skull as she smiled cheek to cheek. Mother’s just knew, and she waited so long to see the event. Getting a huge surprise hug from all the old heads after the ceremony. Bernard seemed to not ever want to let go of Edwin.  
  


The joy of doing their own honeymoon in the beach house. Being at the castle, the memories hitting them like a tsunami. Dean made sure to keep their rooms clean. Even though they had been left behind. A hope that one day things would change, maybe that Neil would take his place as King, but, things ended happier.

Neil went back to America with his aid. With his best friend. With the love of his life. They cherished the years together on that farm…

Then it would all crash. The rose-tinted glasses would break into shards, and he would wake up with his body carefully curled around Edwin’s comatose one. All the warmth he would feel from the other body would evaporate, and every time he was left only feeling the cold of his own sadness-and not the warmth of a gentle scarred hand pushing away his tears and pulling him closer.

The sun would rise, he would stay and lay beside his boyfriend, hoping to no avail. The peak of the day would reach, and the hands on the clock would point up. Begrudgingly, he would get up and eat. No passion for his cooking. No flavor. Just the bland life of being alone.

Classic would beg for his share, and he would often leave most of the plate for the spoiled feline, too focused on watching over Edwin. Waiting for him to come back. Waiting for things to go back to normal. Waiting to be able to cry onto the caring shoulder he loved so much and shower him in love.

He would get a daily visit from Gary. They would try and talk, but nothing much would come out of it. Eventually, his in-law would encourage him to eat dinner and they would cook together, the leftovers put away in the fridge and a plate wrapped to bring to Roger. A bottle of crushed food and juice would be carefully fed to Edwin. He still wouldn’t wake.

The sun would fall and they would say their goodbyes. The moon would rise and he would just stare. Every few days he would fall asleep and be pulled into the realistic dream, live happily again until his glasses would shatter _again_ , and he would wake up _again_.

Then everything would repeat.

Was he not deserving of being happy?

When would his story truly end?

...would it be a happy ending?

A few knocks pulled him out of his endless thoughts.

“Come in,” He called hoarsely, not bothering to look who it was, eye concentrated on Edwin. The other long since overpowered by his own corruption. Slowly falling to pieces, drowning in his self-loathing. Thankfully, it was only a dark ring around his skull, for now, not taking over his body yet.

“I’m… I’m so sorry about everything.” Roger’s voice rang, shocking, but not enough for Neil to take his eyes off his soulmate. The younger tried at a few different encouraging sentences before giving up, “L-look… I… don’t know anything about you two anymore… Gene doesn’t exist anymore. I’m willing to accept that, but…” 

There was a long pause of silence and the large blocks of glitches around his lover’s body seemed to make sense for a moment. Showing a body with dirty but gorgeous bones, a cornflower blue jacket wrapped around them, not faded and old like the day they met. What he had first saw as a torn and old T-shirt on was reflected through the glitches, new and cared for. Black pants not roughed up as much. A scarlet scarf wrapped loosely around his neck.

“Edwin does-and I don’t know him… Nor do I know Neil.”

The ex-royal looked over his shoulder for a moment, connecting his single eye with the other’s empty sockets, searching for anything in his aura contradicting what he was saying. Any sign that he was lying like his dreams were.

Only a patient smile and a worried but caring expression looked back.

Slowly, he turned his skull back, focussing back on the most important skeleton in his life.

“I’ll leave you be.” Roger’s voice rang out again as his footsteps thumped against the wood, growing distant. A tendril grabbed his wrist before he could open the door, and Neil patted the ottoman in front of the bed, not too far from where he was sitting crisscross on it by Edwin’s feet, Classic purring and sleeping peacefully in his lap.

The footsteps grew louder before ceasing. The rustling in his ear from the younger getting comfortable. The hand the gently reached out into his vision before slowly placing itself on top of one of his, comforting.

“How… when did you two get together?”

The ex-royal pondered for a moment, the distant look of remembering in his eye, pulling in every detail he could.

“Well, there’s two times we did.” He could practically hear the other’s confusion, “When we were younger, in our late teens… maybe 16? Somewhere around there, we agreed there was something more between us, it’s the first we kiss we shared. Then, much later, not long after the ball to find a Queen for me, we finally accepted it. Since then, we’ve called each other lovers in secret… although now, we’re bonded closer than that.”

Neil carefully put his hand over his chest, right in the center where his single imperfection was. That’s what Eddie had always called it at least, the only proof he needed that his lover was an angel. So perfect that he makes mistakes.

In a dim flash of purple light, his soul conjured before him, showing the bold line connecting him to his soulmate and the steady flow of magic that he was giving to keep Edwin stable. The long crack that had once nearly killed him long since healed and gone, but slowly reappearing. The smallest crack starting from the bottom and invisible unless you knew it was there.

That beautiful moment when they bonded, he had the joy and trust of seeing the darker’s soul as well. A handsome little upside-down heart, sprinkled with glitches. The white soul lined with red, streams like veins protecting it like a blanket of vines. Such a contrast to the faint lilac his had once been, now tainted and a darker shade. A drop of peacock-blue corruption steaming from the middle, lined with a bright flaring artic blue. A small line at the corner of his soul showing what he grew from. The small piece of his mother’s love. A fragment of her soul.

“Is… is it supposed to look like that?” Roger’s worried voice cut in.

“Yes, technically, I am no monster nor human. My brother and I were created differently than other living beings.” The ex-King let his soul float in the air over to Edwin, a crack of a gentle smile showing through as the culmination of his being sat itself over his lover’s glowing chest. The faint white light of the comatose skeleton’s soul shining through. The pull’s of a smile on Edwin’s face. The normal reaction he would get from their souls being so close, the smile on Neil’s own skull grew a little more.

“Should that be able to happen?”

“With Gary’s help, I got some books to help me research… but right now there’s not much explanation. Although in some coma cases, even dating back to the mid-1600s, people were able to somewhat emote during comas. Personally, I think it’s just natural reactions… as if they are still awake. Things that you do so automatically that you barely need any brain function.” The ex-King explained, pointing over to a stack of books sitting on the desk in their room.

“Oh… ‘kay...” Roger drew out, likely forgetting that Neil had once been a King, a Royal that was highly educated and taught a large variety of subjects. He knew everything from Politics to how children grow, but he still doesn’t know how to get Edwin out of his coma, “Um, how _were_ you created, if you don’t mind me asking? Since it sounds like you weren’t made… naturally.”

“Don’t worry, hearing that someone was made unnaturally would make me just as curious as you.” The taller shrugged, “To put it simply, I have no father. Technically speaking, I could be considered a clone with different memories and experiences.” His friend began to sputter, “To close a story short, my brother and I are pieces of my mother’s soul. She tried to make a child and fed the soul and body with love and magic. I grew and maintained a healthy life, then my mother made Dean.”

“The King in lower England?? You’re _that_ runaway King?!”

“I’m not sure why you’re surprised, I did explain our story.” Neil deadpanned, finally taking his eyes off Edwin, “I suppose you keep in touch with people over there? Reminds me, I need to write a letter to them too.” Ignoring Roger’s little crisis, he grabbed some simple materials and began to write to his brother, giving an update on the situation and asking how they’ve been doing.

“You’re Prince Martin’s uncle-” he could hear the younger’s distressed cries, now up and passing the room. Or well, floating around the room, his magic complex and coming from a long line of highly trained magic users, “Your in-law’s Queen Cora-”

“Cecil.” The other finally stopped his pacing.

“Wha… What? I’m pretty sure it’s Cora. Cecil’s a _boy’s_ name. _She’s_ a Queen.” Roger defended, drifting back to his seat.

“ _I think I know my own brother_ ,” Neil snapped, his pencil tip breaking off. Breathing in a few times, and then out again, he calmed. Soon he had a knife in his hand and garbage near him, sharpening the pencil as he explained, “I was married to him for a time-after all, Martin was almost my kid.”

“What?!”

“The honeymoon happened, despite my like for men and his distress with his body, we did what we had to do. Thankfully, during that time my brother joined us, and some months later, we discovered that Dean was being drained of magic and not I.”

“I’m… still confused? He? Cecil??”

“Cecil, or as our kingdom knows him as, Cora, is not comfortable in their body. They prefer to be referred to as a male, and he likes the name Cecil more. So, something close to Edwin and I, but not exactly.”

“Different...”

“Yeah,” He smiled, “Our family is full of weirdness and secrets… Dean has anger issues and can turn just as corrupted as I can.” Neil shrugged, continuing to happily write to his brother, adding in the piece about Roger freaking out, “Similarly, Dean and I both can have wings of light, granted the environment is positive enough.”

Roger’s confusion reignited, and the older let himself laugh at it. He forgot the joys of having friends and family so close.

“You kids having fun in there?” Gary’s voice interrupted, head poking through the door before letting his whole body in, bringing plates of food with him and some mushed up garden food for Edwin. “Forgot what it’s like to have a house of laughing teens.”

Neil laughed further as his skull was noogied, smiling up at the person he had come to consider a dad.

“Thank you, Gary-”

“Nuh-uh.” The eldest smiled, waving his finger. The ex-royal rolled his eyes, his smile turning to a happy and playful smirk.

“Thanks, Dad.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


“Darling!” His husband called, interrupting him and his son, “I got a letter for us all!” The overly happy and cheerful King called, smiling cheekbone to cheekbone.

“What is it, Dad?” The son asked, looking at the parcel with interest. “Is it from _them_?” His Father nodded enthusiastically.

“Well? Open it, Dean!” The King smiled even wider, and started to tear it open, but still careful to not hurt the letter, “What does it say? Any good news?” Dean’s husband questioned, worried. The last few letters hadn’t been all that good. Only small victories.

“Well, he’s still under, but he cracked a smile!” Martin beamed, giving a smile of his own, “Roger seems to have _just_ figured out we’re related,” Cecil rolled his eyes playfully, shaking his head at the obliviousness, “He’s eating, the dreams are still happening… but he’s going to talk to them about it. That’s good!”

Cecil gave a peck to his cheek and started to read over his shoulder.

“Hope he’s trying to sleep more… oh-Gary is… acting like a Dad?”

“...Grandpa... Garypa?” Martin asked, his parents shrugged their shoulders, unsure as well, “Maybe Grandma can meet him?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “The pull of a smile on Edwin’s face” I had to look up if this is actually possible and whether or not they knew stuff like this in the 1950s, I found this article (https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/27/magazine/coming-out-of-coma.html  
> ) and in the 7th paragraph last 3 sentences say:
> 
> “ A comatose patient may open his eyes, move and even cry while still remaining unconscious. His brain-stem reflexes are attached to a nonfunctioning cortex. Reflex without reflection. Many professionals speak of this condition as a 'persistent vegetative state.' “
> 
> And when Neil was explaining the research he had done, I found this article (https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/131/3/877/317052), that had this chart (https://academic.oup.com/view-large/4242476) that did research on journals from mid 1600s to mid 1900s that spoke of the treatment and things they did during the coma state, one patient not even responding to pain stimuli during their coma.


	7. The last string

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SORRY, NOT SORRY ;)

Pulling out his soul, he let it glow, using most of his magic to project her again. The small piece that he grew from glowed, the flickering but soon clear figure taking place in front of him. A dark corrupted purple tear rolled down his skull from his open eye, and the ghostly figure smiled.

“It’s a great pleasure to see you again, my son. It took you an awfully long time to talk to me again.” The spirit of his Mom scolded, before noticing Edwin, “And I see you have followed through with my advice...” A smile pulled at her ghostly face, gracefully moving to ‘sit’ on the bed by her son, “...Where are we exactly?” She began to question, looking around the foreign room before locking eyes with Neil. “...Why the sorrowful look, Moonbeam?”

The ex-King blinked away his tears, taking in a few deep breaths to let his breathing even, worrying his mother more. “Eddie...” She trailed, looking over to the ex-servant’s unconscious body. Her arms draped around Nightmare’s shoulders, and she gave him a long hug, “What happened...  _ How long has he been rebooting _ ?”

“N-near...” Neil struggled to speak, before barely managing to slur out the words: “Nearly half a year...”

“Have you been feeding him?”

“G-greens and proteins from the g-garden and the market...” He started to calm, leaning back and against Edwin. Curling around him protectively. Smiling slightly when Edwin let out a soft smile of his own, recognizing the presence of Neil’s soul in his Rebooting haze.

“So you finally have your cabin in the woods… huh? Why isn’t Dean…?”

“Across the ocean,” Neil stated simply, nuzzling into his partner’s shoulder, “We’re in America right now… Dean knows. We’ve been talking through letters.”

“Oh my… I’m so sorry for all of this-” A few knocks interrupted her, Gary poking his head in, Classic snuggled up in his arms.

“Sorry, Classic wanted in,” Gary spoke nervously, before walking over with the spoiled feline and setting him on the bed. “I’m sorry, once more, but, I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Gary. Edwin’s Father.” He continued, extending a hand to the ghostly figure of the Queen.

“I don’t think we have,” She gently smiled, taking Gary’s hand and giving him a firm business-like handshake, “I’m Nina, Neil’s Mother. It’s wonderful to finally meet one of Edwin’s parents, but, I’m still unsure to how the two of you separated in the first place, but those are questions for later. Please, join us, I believe there is a lot I need to catch up on.”

Classic purred as he rubbed against Neil, jumping up onto his lap, Neil, of course, starting to spoil the cat with love and attention. To which the pet purred more, enjoying being around everyone and being spoiled.

Gary, less nervous now, pulled up a chair and began to help in explaining things to the former Queen.

“Well, remembering how he lost us caused the reboot so… that’s something, but, we lost him while traveling from South England to here. We were on the top deck and he fell overboard. We expected the waves, with the combination of him already having DT to kill him.” Gary gave a nervous chuckle “Should’ve seen our surprise when our souls found each other again in the market.” 

“Oh dear, I’m surprised I never saw you before. Our Kingdom is in the SouthWest of England, but, we narrowly missed DT. I know that area lost the most lives… I’m sorry for the loss of Edwin and any others.”

“Thank you. It is strange to see him so changed, down to his name and voice.” Nina gave him a weird look, “His birth name is Gene, he had a brother, Paul, and a mother too.” Neil nodded along sadly.

“A lot has happened since you’ve been gone, Mom.” The ex-king spoke softly.

“Things like you finally admitting your feelings?” Nina smirked, Neil gave an un-impressed but nonetheless flustered look, “How long did it take? What? A decade? I even had to tell you outright to just say it.”

“ _ Mom _ .” Nightmare groaned, “Yes, we are a mess of Homosexual skeletons, and it took nearly two decades to officially say we were dating. Now stop fangirling over us.”

“Are you two soulmates yet?~” She continued to tease.

“Stars, Yes! We’re soulmates. Why do you even want me to say it outright? You can see my soul right in front of you.” He blushed greatly, snuggling further into Edwin, who began to stir, “Edwin?!”

Those handsome eyes opened, Error’s covering them before disappearing. The brilliant unique eyelights looking at him again, the tears started to flow. Nina let out a soft laugh as Neil hugged Edwin tightly, giving him a loving kiss, happiness radiating off him and infectious.

The room was warm, his soul bursting with joy. The corrupted ring of negativity that had been wrapped around his skull for months faded, retreating back into his blind eye. He could almost feel his wings appearing, he hadn’t been this happy or relived since their first kiss!

Everything felt like it was floating, his body practically melted at the warmth of his partner’s. The smell of parchment and flowers. He let go, the tears continued to flow, but more freely. His body relaxed. His mind started to calm, and he stopped thinking aside from one thing, just enjoying the single thought of “He’s awake.”

“Whoa! Hey!” Suddenly, Edwin pushed him off, then gave him the most confused and raged look, “ _ Who are you _ ?  _ Who’s Edwin _ ?”

The room fell into silence.

“Glitchy? Error? Please tell me this is a joke- hun?” Neil let out a nervous smile, eyes focused on his soulmate. The corruption started to leak from his eye once more, the tears turning from their distinct dark purple to an oily black.

“Why are you calling me that- why did you kiss me?! My name is  _ Gene _ .” His lover then proceeded to look around the room, before resting his eyes on Gary, “Dad? Who is this? What’s going on?? Why isn’t Roger here??”

“You... don’t remember me? Do you?” Neil asked, the room going cold, his single eye frantic and worrying. They had done so much together. He had trusted Edwin with so much. He trusted him with his life! 

“I can’t remember you if I don’t know you.”Gene shook his head, shrugging. A dam of doubt and uncertainty opened, were all their years together for nothing? All the time at the cabin, every holiday, every moment they found to seclude themselves.

“Not a moment of the past two decades?!” The tears turned from joy to sadness.

“As far as I know, I’ve been in a coma since I was  _ eight _ . Sorry, Sir.” The candlelight of hope blew away, and Neil’s eyes seemed to darken, dulling. The vibrant dark purple going muddy tinted a corrupted green.

It was for nothing. Everything he gave up. All the love he poured into the relationship. Their small business, their home, even adopting Classic together. None of it mattered. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. That’s what hurt him the most. None of it mattered because the person his life was dedicated to didn’t even remember him, or even know who he was.

Nina was quick to see the signs and hurried Neil out of the room. Gary helped her pick him up and carry him out the room closing the doors behind them.

Gene watched curiously, doing nothing, only flinching when he felt pain from his soul. A pain he didn’t understand.

Neil couldn’t hear any words anymore, he was stuck in a loop, the endless thought of “None of it mattered” repeating over and over. His body started to drown in his corruption as sat in the hall with his mom. Barely noticing she was there.

He could feel the strings that connected their souls together begin to snap. Each string a memory. And all of them were gone.

When he came to again, he was in his bed alone. Classic worriedly laying next to him. Gene, Gary and his mother nowhere in sight.

Classic was quick to notice he was awake and was even quicker to comfort him. Curling next to his chest and under his chin.

He tried to think straight but failed. Everything in his mind was a jumbled mess. But there was one thought: “Was their bond still there?”

Hesitantly, he pulled out his soul. Multiple strings connecting him to his actual family as well as Gary and Roger were there, but there was no longer the bold block of string that connected him to Edwin.

In it’s place, there was one thin string. The only memory that both of them had. Their connection now held nothing else but the single passionate and love-filled kiss they shared when Gene came out of his reboot.


	8. What we had

“So what did we exactly have?” The body of his lover asked. The memories between them locked away. Replaced with a new conscious that doesn’t remember him let alone know who he is. Reluctantly living with him. The body of the person he promised to spend his life with reminding him at every moment he can that he doesn’t share the same feelings anymore. That what they had is gone. Forever.

“Wha… What?” The ex-king replied in return, confused. The young mind seemed to never have an interest in the relationship their alter self had before, why now?

“It’s been bugging me a bit is all. I mean, you don’t seem all that special,” It felt like a physical attack to his fragile soul. The crack cutting deeper. He saw Gene flinch, but he couldn’t feel the other’s soul cracking in return with the little bond they still had, “So I don’t get why I’d willingly stay with you for years.” The knife felt like it was twisting further. While he knew it was just the darker thoughts of his mind, sometimes he wished Edwin stayed in the coma. At least then he felt less like trash and had a strong bond between their souls.

Even the silly dream of a farmhouse and big wedding before waking up to reality was better than this. At least then he could cling to Edwin’s body. Cuddle with him. Feel the little warmth that he gave off while rebooting.

It didn’t help that Gene was clear in expressing his… strong disliking of Homosexuality. Although Gary always reassured that he knew Gene was always attracted to his own sex, his family and Gene himself just always denied it. Roger himself confessed knowing the same and afterward thanked the ex-royal for giving him a chance to live happy with how he is as Edwin.

It didn’t take long before Neil noticed the same. The eight-year-old mind stuck in the grown and muscled body definitely wasn’t helping, but the sly looks directed at both Roger and Nightmare didn’t help either.

Neil’s fears became a reality. That if they never met, Gene could’ve ended up with Roger, if he swung the same way.

“Well, we were best friends too, not just lovers.” He smiled at the memories that rushed forward for him. The innocent times reading together, their first dance shortly after the ball. Waking up in bed together. Baking, and cooking. Always together. “But we had a deep romance, and intimacy when we could.” Nearly two decades since their first kiss. Since they started to cuddle when they were alone. Since they began deeper intimacy. Since so much had happened.

“ _ Intimacy _ ?” The adorable nasal cavity of Edwin’s body seemed to move up and wrinkle like flesh, showing his distaste. His mind flashed with images of Edwin doing the same when he laughed, and occasionally when he smiled. “Please, don’t give details. That’s just  _ gross _ . EW!” The small blush that accompanied talking about it and the hands that twitched said otherwise on the subject, but he chose not to pry. It would probably take some more years before Gene accepted how he was.

“Well, what were you expecting? We confessed to each other when were teens, in the woods mind you.” Gene’s blush seemed to deepen at the topic, “It was half a decade later that we found a quiet cabin in the woods, which we later ran away and hid it permanently until we saved up enough money to travel here.”

“...A cabin in the woods?”

“That’s what I said,” Neil replied, turning his attention away from the shorter, focussing back on one of the jobs he had taken, all of Edwin’s orders delayed indefinitely. Now it was just him to man the garden they owned and their small shop.

A lot of what they made was lost. While Neil was handy in blacksmithing and could make good tools and repair things, but it wasn’t as often that he got jobs. Clothes are always needed, repaired, or special orders asked for. Edwin had the quick steady but strong hands required to do such things. Buttons clicked in, lace cut down or added, pockets sewed carefully, he was able to make anything an order asked. Now most of his revenue came from the food he sold, the baked goods he made, and the preservatives that he prepared.

“...The one in the woods… by the calm river and off the old dirt roads and path... with a single apple tree and garden.” Gene spoke quietly, interrupting Neil’s work. The two of them locking eyes.

“You remember that?” The younger shook his head.

“No… but, when I was younger, when my mother was still around, she read me a book about a couple living happily away from everything. I guess somehow it stuck with me...”

“Well, I’m happy to inform you we lived there together for several years before coming here and building this-” Nightmare gestured to the walls and floors of his house,“-cabin ourselves. I think we’ve been living in this one for a few years too.”

“So… until my reboot, we had a happy ending?” Neil turned away, a tear oily black tear rolling down his skull.

“...yeah. We did.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


“ _ I am not gay!” _ They finally pushed for answers, and to try and get Gene comfortable with himself, but all they got was resistance. Denial. Self-hate.

“Gene,” Neil spoke softly, trying to help.

“ _ I’m not-! _ ”

“Please Gene, understand.” The young mind finally calmed, but kept his expression of anger, “I know it’s a hard thought to cope with, we just want you to be comfortable with yourself-”

“ _ I’m not homo! _ ” Gene yelled out, keeping himself as far away from Neil, Gary, and Roger as he could.

“Then explain the side looks you give Roger and I,” Gene started to stutter, Roger nodded along, shrugging his shoulders as if saying:  _ can’t deny that evidence _ ,“ Or staring at your own muscled body?” The youngest locked his arms together crossed across his chest, “The fidgeting and the blush that appears when you ask about the relationship your other life and I had?”

“I… I’m… UGH!  _ Leave me alone! _ ” Gene yelled once more, storming out of the house, presumably to Gary and Roger’s place not far. Having stayed there a few other times when he couldn’t handle being around Neil.

The ex-king looked down at the floor defeated. Now he had lost him entirely.

Gary ran after Gene, and Roger, gave a comforting pat to his should before leaving as well.

He was completely alone now.

His corruption dripped, and he didn’t move. It felt as if everything that was him had been swallowed up.

He’s far from his homeland. He’s far from his family. His lover that he has spent over two decades with doesn’t remember him anymore. The people that he had started to call family left with whom had once been his lover. Classic even ran out the door with them. Scared by his dripping demonic form. 

The negative magic that he was composed of swaying so far to the right his bones even began to drip with them. His jaw had gone slack. Unable to utter a word. Only the gurgles of sounds. The form that now only his dead mother loved. The only other person that ever had now scared of him when he’s normal.

The corruption took over everything.

As it covered his ears, he heard one loud resounding crack from his soul splitting nearly in two before falling unconscious to the floor.


	9. "I'm here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter, towards the end my hands started to crack (I have eczema) and so for the last few hundred my hands were burning, but, I got to finish writing the chapter. :)

His body shivered as the cold licked and bit at his bones. Despite the freezing and depressing aura the house held, he moved forward automatically, walking through calmly when his Father and friend couldn’t even brave it. All of this felt so familiar, but he’s never done this before. Never dared to make it through to the villain’s lair. At least in this life.

Were they even a villain? If what everything his family has told him about Neil is True, then he’s far from.

“An angel.” A voice in the back of his head provided, “So amazing that he wears his imperfections not as barriers or blocks, but as advantages, the traits that make him, _ him _ .”

His pace through the house slowed, why would he ever think about Neil like that?

“You may not think of him like that openly,” He started to stutter on what to say, deny the voice in his head, and blush. “However, I nearly always have.” The voice spoke further, seeming more self-aware than the preassumed simple voice of conscience.

Was someone there with him?

He began to turn his head from each side look everywhere he could, even to see if some small being was hiding in the beams of the self-made log cabin. The voice continued: “It only took me months of knowing him to realize that I love him and that in the eyes of society, our kind is wrong.”

He gulped, thinking of the different punishments and convictions you could be given for simply being different. He wasn’t just scared for himself, he was scared for the voice in his head as well.

“That in the eyes of society, it is wrong for me as a man to like another man. That it is wrong for a woman to like another woman. That it’s wrong to like someone of the same gender. That it’s wrong for anyone to be different than the path laid before us.”

Gene stopped just a yard away from Neil’s bedroom door, not in fear of the pools of negativity that oozed out from under the door and into the weak fabric of his shoes, threatening that if he were to not be careful they would stain his pants as well. He stood in confusion.

“Edwin?” Gene spoke aloud, hoping that he wasn’t going crazy.

“Yes, I’ve been here with you the whole time. Just waiting for you to accept how we are.”

“Why did you show up now and not earlier?” His expression still held confusion, but the dark droplets of anger started to spread, overtaking him with anger.“So i wouldn’t have to deal with all of this?” He gestured, getting more frustrated, “The mess that you left behind?! I’m supposed to be a kid! I don’t want to deal with these problems...” The anger left as soon as it came, “Why?”

“If I showed up before you solved  _ your _ personal problems, I wouldn’t have been able to put all of this to rest.”

“What...” His gaze dropped to the floor, hunched over, defensive. Worry began to spread and the tension left his body, leaving his head hanging, and mouth dry as he asked: “...What are you suggesting?” He had only been able to hear a few stories about Edwin and was still unsure about him.

“We merge our lives, our memories, live as one being.” Gene just stared at the floor, contemplative, “I can tell you care for him just as much as I do.”

“My mental age doesn’t help, though.” Gene sighed opting to sit on the floor, frustratingly puffed cheeks resting on his fists as he continued to stare at the ground, “I’ve only known him for a few weeks- how- why… is he so amazing?? And cute?? And  _ handsome _ ??”

“He’s naturally obviously quirky and goes out of his way to make the people he cares about happy, even when he doesn’t realize it. Even when his soul was physically cracking and he was stuck to bed rest, he tried his best to make me happy.” Gene’s frown curved into a smile, he wanted to be able to remember what Edwin could, to know for himself how caring Neil could be, “If we merged, we could live happily with him.”

“...Is he a good lover?” Edwin laughed as if he heard the funniest joke. “It’s an honest question!”

“Yes, he’s an amazing lover, he’s treated us like royalty over the years. Which is fitting considering that: If the world was different, Neil and I would be married and sitting on thrones right now.” He could practically feel Edwin’s smile, “I still hope, one day the world will change, and we can truly have our wedding.”

A silence fell, and he could feel Edwin’s smile drop as well.

“...I need to get back to him.” Gene raised a brow, once again confused, “We’ve lived nearly our entire lives side by side. Acquaintances to friends to best friends to secret lovers. It’s always been the two of us. Even when Neil was forced to marry Cecil. It was still just the King and his Aid.”

Gene moved his eyes from the floor back to the door, letting his soul hear the desperate call of Neil’s.

“We have family. More family and friends that are strongly trusted to keep our secret.” Gene perked up at this, “Neil’s brother Dean, and his husband Cecil, they share a seret similar to ours.”

“What do you mean?”

“He is stuck in a female body. He doesn’t like being a princess. Like our situation. Stuck in a body that does fit how we mentally are.” Gene nodded in understanding, “They have a son, Martin, they’ve been raising him to treat everyone, no matter their sexuality, gender identity, or romantic preference, with respect. Our friends have learned of both of our secrets, and are secretly pulling strings in the castle as we speak.”

“...you have friends that… that accept us being, you know?” Gene questioned, genuinely surprised by the information.

“The different heads of departments, and Dean’s own personal guards. Even the head of Heads, and now Head of the court as well, Ian is on our side. When we were thrown in a cell, before Neil came to save us, he visited. Bringing food and questions. He left with answers and a different train of thought. It took time, but Cecil confided in all of them too, we write to each other as much as we can.”

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Then this will be the last time we can talk. Just know, we will live happily...”

“One last thing, though.” Gene shyly spoke up, “Why was our connection gone? Why didn’t all the memories stay?”

“We aren’t allowed to exist together, but don’t worry, when I do this, we will be one and the same. One life. One person.”

  
  


\-----

  
  


He was a monster.

There was no question.

The shivering winter frost keeping him rooted. Seas of corruption and the pure negativity his soul was made of pouring from him. His bones were nearly melting from the sheer amount of it. His jaw long since hanging. Eyes covered by the goop. Feeling lost in his arms. The only senses left were hearing and smell. The two most useless ones when you’re alone.

The weight of the silence fell onto him like a piano. Any small noise cutting through him with a weapon of fear. It could be an animal or the police coming to jail him for suspicions of being homosexual. Either seemed to be a logical option at this point.

Then, the muffled sound of a voice. He couldn’t tell who it was. The sound echoed and distorted through the door and the pools of runny liquid.

A whimper escaped him. It was hopeless. The police were here, his life would be uprooted. He would either be sent back home and likely thrown into a secluded cell or religious place or kept in America to do the same things. It was a coin toss and he didn’t like either choice.

Then, a pair of muscular arms surrounded him and his nasal cavity was filled with the smell of parchment and flowers. The smell of plants and books. The smell of his lover. The feel of his lover.

The negativity stopped flowing from his body. One of his eyes was uncovered.

A teary-eyed Edwin looked at him happily.

“It’s okay.” He was carefully pulled into Edwin’s lap, and an arm moved to caress his cheekbone, moving his jaw back into place “Emotions are fine. You’re safe. You don’t have to hide anything with me.” His arms were pulled around his lover’s neck, and Edwin moved his skull to nuzzle Neil’s neck, “Shhhh, I’m here.”

He really is.

“I’m so sorry it had to last this long. I had to let Gene handle his problems before we could live happily again.”

“S-shut up, glitch-fest,” Neil hiccuped, squeezing his arms tighter around the other, “P-please, I just need to cuddle you right now. Just know that… that you’re really here.” Neil’s soul glowed as he spoke, and Edwin carefully pulled it out with his own, letting them drift next to one and other, Edwin exchanging his magic to the nearly shattered soul. For some time, he would need to heal, but, they would do it together.


	10. Normal

Yawning, he slowly awoke, eyes struggling to see anything. A blurry black blob leaning closer. A gentle kiss pressed against his mouth, he nearly fell asleep again. Everything was so calm. So tranquil for the first time in months.

He had Edwin again. For real this time.

“Hey- At least let me get another few kisses before you pass out on me!” His Soulmate joked the arm around his back pulling him closer. The warm body pushing against his, flowers and parchment. The warmth near his feet leaving, probably Classic leaving to give them a little more space.

Neil chuckled, letting himself relax as the clouds in his mind cleared, stars, he missed this. He missed his lover. He missed his normal life.

Seeming happy, Edwin pressed more kisses to his skull. “There, now you can sleep in, just needed to remind you I’m here for a moment.” He could practically hear his gentle smile.

Slowly the older’s eyes opened, and he saw his handsome Eddie. The slightly scared but gentle expression looking down at him, his nasal slightly wrinkled as he gave a warm smile. The tear tracks opaque. Gently, he moved a hand and traced the scars, gently grazing over them, knowing many of them gave Edwin phantom pains.

“Still don’t know what’s so fascinating with my scars, you got a better body than mine any day.” Error’s glitching voice washed over him, quiet, calm. His aura filled with gentle joy.

“I’d say otherwise, I think if you gave me a chance, I could write an essay about how amazing your body and you are.” Neil smiled flirtatiously, locking eyes with the younger again, grabbing one of the other’s muscled arms to prove a point, a yawn breaking through the romantic moment. The ex-royal closed his eyes, and turned his head, resting on the other’s chest as he spoke, “What time is it?”

“Not late,” Edwin assured, hooking an arm around his partner and gently rubbing his shoulder and back in calming motions.

“Numbers? And I know you’re trying to get me to fall asleep again.”

“Is it working?”

Neil got up and stretched in response, opening his eyes and looking over at their clock himself, past breakfast, if they stayed in any longer they would skip the meal entirely and eat lunch instead. He raised a brow at his partner.

“I may have not been fully there for my reboot, but I could still tell you weren’t sleeping.” The other explained himself, “I already made breakfast, we just have to heat it up, Dad already dropped by, so he and Rog’ will be showing up at thirteen hundred o’clock.”

“So in a few hours?” The ex-king questioned, keeping a brow raised as he felt Edwin’s strings carefully wrap around him, easing him back onto the bed and into his lover’s arms once more.

Error rolled his eyes, “You really want me to relax and rest, don’t you?” he just nodded and gave Nightmare another kiss, rubbing the older’s back as he hummed the song their souls sang together.

“Just rest, moon, I got everything. Relax and rest, you deserve it.” Eddie whispered before continuing to hum their song.

  
  


\-----

  
  


“You really got him to relax, huh?” Gary laughed as he dealt cards between him and Edwin, a sleepy Neil humming softly in agreement, happily perched behind his boyfriend, legs wrapped around the other’s waist and head hanging over Error’s shoulder.

“Yep,” He smiled, taking his hand and adding two cards to the crib, ready to start the next round of the board game they were playing.

“Keep your poker face, son, even if it’s cribbage.” Gary teased, keeping a straight face as he looked at his cards, before setting one down.

“Roger going to take long?” Another card down.

“Stopped by his work before heading here, he’s dropping by his brother’s for a quick hello before coming here, so hopefully not too long.”

“How is he doing? Been decades since I last talked to him.” Gary gave him a shocked look, “I remember both lives now.” His dad took the crib and counted up his points before moving up further on the corkboard.

“Right, still getting used to that.” Edwin let out a short chuckle that evened into a soft hum when he felt Neil nuzzle into his neck, moving all his cards into one hand so he could gently pat the side of Night’s head.

“You started the games  _ without _ me?” Roger came floating in, stopping to say a quick Hello to Classic before sitting down with everyone else.

“Hello to you too sassy.” Edwin joked, placing down a card, “Game’s almost done,  _ nearly  _ beating Dad.”

“You wish kiddo.” Gary laughed, placing down a final card, and counting his winning points.


	11. My happy end

While it may sound weird, almost getting caught for being gay was probably one of the best days in his life. Setting in motion so many things that made his life amazing. While they did have to travel and move ridiculously far from where they first arrived in america-classic definitely not happy with being stuck in a small kennel for some of the train rides. Hopping on and off of them to get across the country, but eventually, they did settle down again.

After months, they did find a small town that spread for miles of farmland, and with their leftover money, they bought several large acres of land in the backroads, hidden away by a long trek of trees with plenty of lands for them to start anew. On top of that, this time they didn’t need to worry about a house, a large farmhouse with an even bigger barn nearby. Plenty of rooms for them all, Gary and Roger following with them across the country, not wanting to lose either of them.

Years passed as they built up their farm, and one day, a runaway came, asking for help. Only wishing for shelter that night and nothing more, with some talking, the child ending up staying with them for much, much longer.

Tomas became their child, also unsure of their gay relationship at first, but quickly warming up to them and soon calling them his parents. More years passed, and his brother visited. The cousins finally met, and thankfully, Tomas and Martin got along wonderfully, despite some age difference.

There was good news that his brother and in-law brought with them however, Dean had stepped down, and in his place Martin was coronated and quickly changed all the absurd laws they had. Why did they even have a law about not being able to fish on the back of an animal? Nothing Martin could find gave any reason to have it!

Mainly, Martin changed all the laws on what he had found was called the LGBT+ community. It was nice to be able to call it something. To say they were apart of LGBT+, to know they weren’t the only ones out there that had to hide their lives away. Even better, Cecil was able to officially come out to the kingdom, and much like Edwin did when Neil was sick, basically give a giant middle finger to the court.

While Cecil was unable to show his true gender outside the kingdom, within the kingdom he was greatly accepted. A lot of the elders not understanding, but due to Martin pulling strings since he was young and able to understand the subject, near every adult and every child accepted him. With Ian as head, changing all the laws and putting new ones in place to protect LGBT+ was the easiest thing in the world!

Despite Dean’s pestering, and the new law that Martin helped to make, he stayed at the farmhouse. Whether he could legally be with Edwin or not in his home kingdom, this is where he belonged. It wasn’t too long after, that, with more than likely Dean and Cecil’s help by looking at the ring, Edwin proposed to him. They may never be able to get married, but being able to simple think that  _ Edwin is his fiance _ was more than enough.

Then, something amazing happened. Across the world, laws started changing, although Martin was quick to correct him that they had been changing for ages some years, using evidence of prospering cities states and countries elsewhere with open LGBT+ communities to the court a big factor in allowing him to change the law in the first place.

Even better: The area Neil and Edwin lived in became an open community, and they began to plan their wedding near immediately.

“Do I look okay?” His brother laughed.

“Neil, never change.” Dean continued to chuckle, Cecil joining in, “You look perfect.” The former King continued as Cecil walked up, fixing his suit and making sure it was straight.

“Ce, I know you’re trying, but, I don’t think no matter how you try. It’s not gonna be straight.” Cecil gave Neil a knowing look, accompanied by a few more chuckles, “That suit treating you well?”

“It may not be my own wedding, but it’s wonderful to wear, for once, I fell so  _ comfortable _ .” Cecil smiled, doing a quick spin in the light lilac suit, “Although I think if it’s too nice, Dean may get a little jealous.”

“That sounds about right.” His mother laughed as Dean pouted. The green silhouette of his brother’s and his balanced magic floating over to him. Circling him once more to make sure everything was in place.

Ian poked his head in, and closed the door behind him.

“Just a few more moments, then you will walk down the aisle together,” Ian tried to gave a genuine smile, but his fake emotions failing him.

“Thanks, Ian,” Neil spoke, giving the court head a strong hug before letting him go.

The ceremony was beautiful, and just like his dream those years back, he got to see all his friends again. Keith and Douglass hadn’t changed at all, but, a few others did, in a good way. 

While Cross never really did makeup with his family, he did become closer with friends, and with the help of Keith and Dean became the new general, Keith retiring but visiting the castle often. Bernard was still Dean’s personal guard, but mainly for when he leaves the castle or big events happen, allowing him to spend time with his wife and child and give them an amazing life with the high pay.

Howard also retired, but he did so early, leaving so he could work more on the farm with his family and bakery, now making more profits there than as the head chef, they even got to see his family. The kids that were so young last time grown up, brother and wife with him as well.

Ian didn’t have much happen but works day in and day out with Martin, researching and helping out everywhere, but taking time off when Martin tells him to and adding gorgeous paintings and murals across the castle. Apparently, thanks to Ian, a symbolic mural of their story was painted across one of the castle walls, an extra path added and some landscaping done to make it an area reserved for the royal family to relax and remember.

Then, to their surprise, Ian’s wedding gift of plane tickets back to their kingdom. Tomas joining them, going to be staying with Dean, Cecil, and Martin while Neil and Edwin went to the beach house for their own honeymoon.

Together, they laid comfortably in the master suite, giggling together like children in an embrace. Happily, openly calling each other husband. Saying sweet nothings.

  
  


\-----

  
  


Sunlight poured into the open room, breezes of early morning summer air going through. His eyes slowly opened, Edwin holding him close, and just staring at him with a kind loving smile.

“No duties?” Neil whispered with a groggy and sleepy voice.

“No list,” Edwin replied in kind.

“No meetings?”

“Just us, moon.” Edwin smiled, Neil leaning up for a slow kiss. Breaking away, Ed spoke, “Good morning, love of my life.”

“Good morning, Husband.” Neil smiled, feeling fully rested and relaxed for the first time in his life.


End file.
